Prince's pop life, song by song, in chronological order.
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The Belle of St. Mark
While “Glamorous” sounded tailor-made for Sheila’s particular talents (even if it wasn’t), “Belle” is well-crafted but faceless, embodying the essentialist cynicism of the publishing imprint Prince used for his female side projects: “Girlsongs.”
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Don’t You Wanna Ride?
Prince spins a yarn about hooking up with a “foxy lady down in New Orleans” that sounds for all the world like a Penthouse Forum letter set to music.
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I Spend My Time Loving You
If Prince was devoted to music during his school years, he became downright monastic after he graduated in early 1976, six months ahead of his scheduled time.
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Sweet Thing
Prince doesn’t shy away from the song’s ostensibly feminine qualities; he accentuates them.